Orioles Overview: Week 1
The Orioles got off to a rocky start this opening week. Orioles starters have given up 16 earned runs in 20 innings in 4 games. you can’t win like that no matter how good your lineup is, and the lineup we are expecting this year hasn’t exactly shown up yet. Only one person has homered so far and that’s Nelson Cruz, and only two people are hitting over .250 (Wieters and LombardOzzi). Before you start panicking, there is some good news.
The good news is we are only 2% through the season. The Birds have plenty of time to pick up some wins. Also, the luck hasn’t been on their side so far. They saw three straight balls bounce off the wall in the 4-3 defeat to the Red Sox, had their flight delayed and didn’t get into Detroit until 4 in the morning, and on top of that there were 2 rain delays in that game. To top all of that off they played against the best teams in the league last season.
Some more good news is that the bullpen has been solid. They have given up 5 runs in 15 innings. 4 of which came from Ryan Webb who likely won’t last long with the club. Zach Britton looks like a bran new pitcher, In 4 innings he has a whip of 0.75 and 2 strikeouts. In 2012 the Os were carried by the strength of the bullpen, so if they can keep it up everything else can come around.
The bats haven’t heated up yet, but they are too good to stay cold. Some bright spots are Matt Wieters hitting .455 and a RBI, Cruz hitting 2 HRs, and Adam Jones getting 2 walks and working counts. If Wieters can keep hitting he will easily be the best catcher in the League, and Adam Jones 2 walks in 4 games? If pitchers actually have to throw strikes to Jones, watch out.
Fun Fact: The two other times the orioles started out 1-2 and made the playoffs they went to the World Series. So if they make it to the playoffs, they are a lock to make the World Series.
